Falling Like the Rain
by Nightcrawlerlover
Summary: Mercy Street AU. A new girl stands up for Rick, becomes his friend, and maybe something more. However, her peers think she's a freak as well. Will Abigail's faith in God help keep her and Rick together? Or will the others tear them apart?
1. The Poem

**Here's a new story I've been working on ever since I listened to the song "Iris" by Goo Goo Dolls. And the line "Constant vigilance" is from _Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_, spoken by Alister "Mad-Eye" Moody. So I cooked this up. I also decided to make Rick speak French a bit in order to drive my character crazy, since he reminds me of Gomez from the Addams Family (who gets a little passionate whenever his wife Morticia speaks French), and he's so hot (like Ephraim Ellis, who played him on _Degrassi_). This story is dedicated to my friend Liz aka LiZ-RoX. Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: The geniuses at the N own Degrassi. I own the story.**

**Falling Like the Rain**

**Setting: During the episode "Mercy Street", goes AU from there**

**Pairing: Rick/OC**

It was Monday in Mrs. Kwan's English class at Degrassi Community School, and it was poetry time.

"Okay. Let's start with Gavin," said Mrs. Kwan as she sat on top of a nearby desk.

"I hope my poem's pretty good. Do you think Mrs. Kwan will like it?" asked a girl next to Abigail Watson, fifteen. Abigail had moved to Degrassi from Oregon a few days ago. She was wearing a dark blue T-shirt with a picture of an eagle and the words "Proud to be an American" written on it covered by a blue jacket, unzipped. On the outside of the jacket, around her neck hung a sparkling diamond crucifix on a black rope.

"I don't know. But it looks like we're about to find out," Abigail smiled, as she sat back in her seat and Spinner began.

"Okay, so—uh, Mrs. Kwan asked us to find a verse that speaks to our hearts." He began unfolding his paper. "This verse, by Kid-El-Rick, speaks to mine." He cleared his throat as Rick walked in and quietly sat down, with his homework in hand. Abigail looked over at him and gave a corner smile towards him. He caught the smile, and returned it.

_She is so nice,_ he thought looking at her face, with her blue eyes, and half listening. _Always defending me, sticking up for me, and willing to believe me. I can't believe how she greeted me my first day back, and when she offered her arm, just like the woman I see her as, I smiled, the grin lightening up my face, and took it..._

****Flashback****

_Rick walked through the doors of Degrassi, hoping that the students would forgive him for putting Terri MacGreggor, his ex-girlfriend, in a coma last year and welcome him back. But instead all he got were glares and stares from them. They still believed he was a "psycho", a girl abuser._

"_Is that you, Rick?" a voice called. _

_The wall of faces parted. Standing there was a girl who was obviously new to Degrassi. Her hair was the color of chocolate, and her eyes were blue. She walked over and offered him her arm. _

"_May I accompany you?" she asked, smiling. Rick blinked. She obviously did not know what had happened last year. Making a mental note to tell her what happened when he got the time, he smiled and said, _

"_Sure. And who, may I ask, am I speaking to? You look very... pretty." _

_Rick suggestively smirked as he said the last part. _

"_My name's Abigail," she said._ "_Abigail Marie Watson. I moved here from Oregon. My father's retired from mail delivery, and my mother's a homemaker, and they both quarrel with each other sometimes. __But," she added, seeing the surprised look on his face, "I'm lucky to have them as parents."_

"_Abigail." He tried out the name and found he liked it._ "_That's a lovely name. It's Hebrew, and it means Princess, and Father's joy. Abigail's great. I like it," Rick remarked. _

_She nodded. _"_It does, Rick. Thanks, and I like your name too." _

****End flashback****

_And I laughed at how she got Jay in a headlock, and threatened to put a stake through his heart. _Rick smiled at the memory. _What more can a guy like me want?_

"I wants to find me a girl to love, a girl with wealth and class. But most of all I wants me a girl with—a bootylicious—"

"Enough, Gavin." Mrs. Kwan laughed and sighed. "Take your seat." Everyone burst into laughter. "Okay, who's next?"

Taking a deep breath, Abigail rose from her seat. Her movements reminded Rick of the asp, which he knew was used by Cleopatra, the last ruler of Ancient Egypt, to commit suicide. Her crucifix caught his eye, and he smiled a secret smile.

She walked to the front of the classroom, her paper in hand, and turned to face the students.

Her eyes caught sight of Rick, and he smiled. That was all Abigail needed.

"Ok," she said. "This poem speaks to my heart, and it's about a very special person – a person who sits directly across from me in class. A person who deserves love and respect.

"And that person is none other than...Rick Murray."

Everyone (except Rick) turned and started whispering to each other...loudly. Abigail turned to Mrs. Kwan and asked her a question with her eyes, and Mrs. Kwan nodded. Abigail smiled, and then turned back to the class and hissed,

"Constant vigilance, please."

Abigail's snappy, witty remark was so loud that, except for Rick and Mrs. Kwan (as they loved Harry Potter), everyone was startled.

"Thank you. Now, listen. This poem is called "Iris", and it's dedicated to Rick."

Taking another deep breath, she began...

"_He first laid eyes on her,_

_when she walked into the classroom. _

_She looked into those dark orbs of his,_

_and she was instantly lost._

_He sensed desire within her, _

_he knew it was his to take._

_He believed he could coax it out of her,_

_He wanted to mark her as his mate._

_As king Rick passed a law, by royal command,_

_that it was Abigail the boys were forbidden to touch._

_Abigail was his and his alone,_

_although Spinner and the other boys wanted her so much._

"Thank you."

She placed the paper on Mrs. Kwan's desk, and then walked back to her seat.

Then, after class, Abigail waited outside the door. Rick walked up.

"Abigail, you're a great writer," he smiled. "Mrs. Kwan said for me to tell you that you did a great job on the poem. She said it's a fantastic piece of work, and very creative – just like you."

Then he reached up, placed his hand on her cheek in a loving way, and placed his mouth over hers.

Feeling grateful, Abigail also returned the kiss.

Finally when they pulled back for air, she asked,

"So, now that I've gotten over my fear of reading in front of people, what am I going to do now?"

"You'll think of something," Rick assured her, patting her shoulder. "You write very well, and you're very creative. And I think you'll make a great author someday."

She smiled at his words. They really felt good to her.

"Thanks, Rick."

"You're welcome, Abigail."

Then they headed down the hallway and outside to the quad. Two gangster-type guys walked up to them. They smirked as they looked at Abigail and Rick. But before they could say a word, Abigail spoke up.

"Well, well, well, you two _Coolio wannabes_. Shouldn't you be off hanging out with Jay or having him shove you into lockers?"

Her tone was as condescending and snobby as she could possibly make it. Rick smiled secretly to himself as he slipped his hand into hers, thinking that Paige Michalchuk would be proud if she saw and heard this. The two guys looked at each other, confused.

"Who are _you _talking about?" one of them asked.

"Jay Hogart, that's who. You ever see what he does?" Abigail snapped. They shook their heads.

"Well, do me a favor. Keep an eye on him. But if he finds out, tell him a little bird found out, OK?"

They nodded, and then headed off in the direction they were going.

Feeling her anger drain out of her, Abigail took a few deep breaths, telling herself to calm down. Then as if by magic, she felt Rick's arms around her.

"_Cara Mia," _he whispered into her ear.

The sound of that phrase – French, she knew – was enough to immediately set her blood on fire. She couldn't help it; his voice was so full of passion, desire and something else she couldn't quite place at the moment.

Abigail bit her lower lip as he moved his lips up and down her throat, trying her best to suppress a moan of pleasure. Being sixteen, Rick was a foot taller than her, and very passionate, as she was sure he could be.

"Oh, Rick," she finally found the courage to reply, "that's French."

"I know, _ma petite fille,_" Rick purred.

This time Abigail couldn't help but laugh a bit. Her laugh sounded so much like wind chimes on a lovely day – at least in Rick's mind's eye.

"Rick," she said, turning to look at him, and he was pleased to see the look of love in her eyes, "when phrases of French related to love fly from your lips into my ears, I feel as though I have no choice but to let that flighty tempter known as Control slip through my fingers."

After a moment, she asked,

"Want to come to my house?"

Rick smiled. This was the first time someone had invited him to their house.

"Sure," he replied.

**Oooh, what will happen next? Wait and find out!**

**~Nightcrawlerlover**


	2. Abigail's Little Sister

**Hey, how's it going? Hope I kept you in suspense long enough. So here's the next chapter! I send my thanks to Becks Rylynn for her nice review on the first chapter. This one's for her! **

**Previously...**

_Feeling her anger drain out of her, Abigail took a few deep breaths, telling herself to calm down. Then as if by magic, she felt Rick's arms around her._

"_Cara Mia," he whispered into her ear._

_The sound of that phrase – French, she knew – was enough to immediately set her blood on fire. She couldn't help it; his voice was so full of passion, desire and something else she couldn't quite place at the moment._

_Abigail bit her lower lip as he moved his lips up and down her throat, trying her best to suppress a moan of pleasure. Being sixteen, Rick was a foot taller than her, and very passionate, as she was sure he could be._

"_Oh, Rick," she finally found the courage to reply, "that's French."_

"_I know, ma petite fille," Rick purred._

_This time Abigail couldn't help but laugh a bit. Her laugh sounded so much like wind chimes on a lovely day – at least in Rick's mind's eye._

"_Rick," she said, turning to look at him, and he was pleased to see the look of love in her eyes, "when phrases of French related to love fly from your lips into my ears, I feel as though I have no choice but to let that flighty tempter known as Control slip through my fingers."_

_After a moment, she asked,_

"_Want to come to my house?"_

_Rick smiled. This was the first time someone had invited him to their house._

"_Sure," he replied._

* * *

_I know that you're searching for answers,  
Afraid that you'll be left behind,  
But you can't rush time,  
Got to wait in line  
In time the answers you'll find_

_(Chorus)  
You'll get your wings at the right time  
Even birds must learn how to fly  
You gotta move on from what's breaking your heart  
Don't let your life pass you by_

-Mpulz, **The Journey**

Rick and Abigail headed up the walk. Abigail snuck up to the front door and pressed her ear to it, listening for any yelling. Then, sounds of screaming were heard, and her heart jumped in fear.

"Let's sneak in," she suggested. Rick nodded in agreement. He had seen his father abuse his mother sometimes on some nights when he was little and sitting on top of the stairs. And often, more than once, his mother would come into Rick's room with a black eye or bruises on her arms or face. He felt a little sad that Abigail had to deal with the same thing along those lines. But he felt glad that _she_ was lucky enough to never have to walk into school with a black eye, cut lip or bruises along _her_ arms.

Abigail quietly turned the doorknob and opened the door. She then turned to Rick, placing a finger over her lips.

"Shh. We have to be very quiet."

Rick nodded. As soon as they were inside, Rick looked around the house, impressed. Her house sure was something impressive. The door faced a staircase leading up to the second floor. Luckily, the yelling was far away – in a different room.

"Abby!" a cheery voice called in a whisper. Its owner, a five-year-old girl with brown hair and blue eyes like Abigail's, ran up to her and jumped into her arms.

"Hey there, Annie!" said Abigail, hugging her little sis. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Abby," said Annie as Abigail set her down. Then she saw Rick, and grinned. "Abby, is this the famous Rick Murray?"

"Well, yeah," Abigail smiled a little guiltily as Rick bent to Annie's level. "He is kind of famous, but not in a way you might think." She raised her eyebrows in surprise as Annie walked up to Rick.

Annie then whispered,

"I've heard a lot about you from my big sis, Rick. And I think you're nice."

Abigail had to hide her playful smile as her sister then kissed Rick on the cheek.

"Really, Annie?" he replied. She nodded. He smiled. "That's really nice of you."

As Annie walked back over to Abigail and held her hand, Rick then turned to Abigail.

"Your little sister is kind of pretty," he said.

"I'm sure she believes that too. Right, Annie?" Abigail said as she turned to her younger sister. Annie nodded.

"Come on. Let's go upstairs," said Abigail. The trio then headed up the stairs and then stopped before a blue door.

"This is my room," said Abigail as Annie reached up with both hands and opened the door.

Along one wall were two bookshelves full of books, and the other was a closet for Abigail's clothes. There was also a bed 5 feet away from the closet and a desk with her laptop computer, and a dresser.

"Wow," said Rick as he scanned the titles of books with his eyes. _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets_ and others were among them. "You read a lot. No wonder you get such nice grades. I like that."

"I do," Abigail smiled in reply. Then she looked up, startled like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car as they heard the yelling and shouting. The yelling was heard more clearly this time as it traveled through the walls.

"_Why is it that you get a job where you get to go outside all the time?_" Abigail's mother snapped.

"_At least __**you**_ _get to stay home!_" came the shrill voice of her father.

"_Well I'm making money, which is more than you can say,_" Mrs Watson yelled back.

"_What did you say?_" her husband yelled.

"_You heard what I said!_"

Rick frowned. Annie shivered all over as she motioned for him to come closer to her. He bent down and she whispered into his ear,

"Sometimes, the house is very quiet, and I come in here to read some of Abby's books, often putting them back where I got them. But then, some afternoons, Mommy and Daddy yell at each other. I hide in here because it's more safe, and I can feel Abby's presence as well.

"I feel bad for you though, Rick," she continued, much to his surprise.

"Really?" Rick queried, eyebrows raised.

Annie nodded. "Going off to Degrassi, being bullied...I wonder how you're able to stand it. And you have my big sis to protect and befriend you. If I went there, I could protect you as well."

Rick smiled at the young girl. She put things into words very well, and she wasn't afraid to speak her mind.

"Wow, Rick, I'm impressed," Abigail remarked. "She's usually so shy around strangers – even the older boys. But I guess she's taken a liking to you. Probably because I've spoken very highly of you a lot."

Annie nodded at her sister's words. "I wish I could go with Abigail to Degrassi High, so I could drive a stake through those bullies' hearts – if they were vampires, that is." As she spoke she mimed thrusting an imaginary wooden stake through a heart.

Rick and Abigail laughed. Rick liked Annie; he saw her as the little sis he never had. _If I had a little sis, I would protect her too,_ he thought, grinning.

Then Rick narrowed his eyes when they heard the angry, shouting tones of Abigail's parents again. _If only my tormentors could hear this now,_ he thought.

"_Shut up! Don't you put me down in front of our children!_" Mr. Watson yelled.

"_Oh, you're one to talk! You go out every night, and you come home with the scent of the perfume of another woman on you!_" his wife snapped.

"I can't take any more of this," said Abigail. She turned to Rick and Annie as she picked up her black purse and put it on her shoulder, and then picked up her schoolbag. "What do you say we go to the park? That way we can have some peace and quiet."

"Sounds good!" said Annie as she picked up her own purse. It was pink and had a few pockets in it. On the back was a compartment for coins with a zipper that went back and forth.

"I cannot agree more," Rick concurred. He then noticed a ladder attached to Abigail's bedroom window, which was open. "Do you use that sometimes?" he asked.

"Oh yeah," she nodded.

Rick walked over and looked out. He smiled upon noticing that it wasn't too far to climb down on the ladder.

"Ladies first," he said.

Abigail and Annie laughed. "Thanks," they both chorused.

Abigail then climbed down first. Then Annie went next. Finally Rick went last.

Soon they went off to the park. Abigail had told Rick that she would come there with Annie sometimes on Saturdays. The reason why was to escape the tension at home, and to get some fresh air. Rick felt he couldn't agree more; he knew exactly how they felt.

Abigail then reached into her schoolbag and pulled out two books she had secretly put in there beforehand. One had a black cover and was titled _Wild at Heart_ on the spine. The other was called _Captivating_. When Rick saw the books, he asked,

"May I read one of those, please?"

Abigail smiled. "Sure."

Rick picked up _Wild at Heart_ and opened it. He began to read it silently. A very genuine grin spread across his face as he read of the three things that men really wanted – an adventure to live, a battle to fight and a Beauty to rescue. The fourth chapter, entitled "The Wound", told of how men were wounded, and he mentally grieved for them. He knew he wanted to be a lover and a warrior. _But how am I going to do that? Well, it may be impossible, but I'm willing to take that risk anyway. _

The wounds were almost always given by their fathers – both passive and violent. Their wound carried a message that was almost always the same. And that message went like this: _Anything wild about you is violent, dark and evil_.

When he read those words, he remembered how his father had been, and felt the sting of the bee of guilt. Apparently, his father used to be nice and caring towards his mother. But then...a few months before he returned to Degrassi, Rick had sensed a change in him. Often on those nights, he would be in his room listening to fights between his mom and dad that would often end with his mom being hit by his dad, and then his dad walking out into the night...

"_How could you say that to me, Hank? Rick's our son!"_

"_Oh, put a sock in it, Joy! You're a terrible mother, and Rick is worthless! A nothing!" _

He shook his head, trying to will those memories away, and then smiled as he looked over at Abigail and Annie, who were reading the first chapter of _Captivating_, a smile on their faces.

**Well, I hope you liked it. I worked really hard on it.**

**~Nightcrawlerlover**


	3. The Bullying Switches Victims

**Well, here's the next chapter of "Falling Like the Rain". This is where it becomes AU. **

**In this chapter (which is a two-parter), the students switch the victims they see as targets for bullying. In this case, it's Abigail because she hangs out with Rick all the time. So she becomes the main target for their cruel teasing, being whispered about and generally being disliked. And, Rick and Abigail share almost all of their classes together, and they sit with each other at lunch. **

**However the other students get a shock of their own when one of their own begins to fight back against them...**

**This chapter is for my friend **hina lover 1010** for his nice review, and also for my new friend Erin, aka **Peace and Purity. **:) ****Hope you're enjoying the story so far!**

**Previously...**

Rick picked up Wild at Heart and opened it. He began to read it silently. A very genuine grin spread across his face as he read of the three things that men really wanted – an adventure to live, a battle to fight and a Beauty to rescue. The fourth chapter, entitled "The Wound", told of how men were wounded, and he mentally grieved for them. He knew he wanted to be a lover and a warrior. _But how am I going to do that? Well, it may be impossible, but I'm willing to take that risk anyway._

The wounds were almost always given by their fathers – both passive and violent. Their wound carried a message that was almost always the same. And that message went like this: _Anything wild about you is violent, dark and evil._

When he read those words, he remembered how his father had been, and felt the sting of the bee of guilt. Apparently, his father used to be nice and caring towards his mother. But then...a few months before he returned to Degrassi, Rick had sensed a change in him. Often on those nights, he would be in his room listening to fights between his mom and dad that would often end with his mom being hit by his dad, and then his dad walking out into the night...

"_How could you say that to me, Hank? Rick's our son!"_

"_Oh, put a sock in it, Joy! You're a terrible mother, and Rick is worthless! A nothing!" _

He shook his head, trying to will those memories away, and then smiled as he looked over at Abigail and Annie, who were reading the first chapter of Captivating, a smile on their faces.

* * *

_I am so high, I can hear heaven_  
_I am so high, I can hear heaven_  
_Whoa, but heaven, no, heaven don't hear me_

_And they say_  
_That a hero could save us_  
_I'm not gonna stand here and wait_  
_I'll hold onto the wings of the eagles_  
_Watch as we all fly away_

_-_Chad Kroeger, **Hero**

It was a week later on Wednesday. Abigail, wearing a blue T-shirt covered by a green sweater with a kitty's face made out of diamonds on the front, black Levis, and her crucifix around her neck, slid into her seat in first period Media Immersion, mentally preparing herself for the assignment she would receive.

Then Mr. Simpson announced,

"OK, class. Today you will type up a poem, and you are more then welcome to print it. The subject of the poem I will leave up to you. It doesn't have to rhyme, or be of any particular length. Just choose whatever topic you like, or read a few poems on the Internet to inspire you, and let your imagination take over!"

He grinned as he said the last part. Apparently he had once told Abigail that he often remembered using his imagination when he was little. Whenever he dressed up as a cowboy or a soldier, he somehow knew he was practicing for a bigger role in life.

"Begin...now!"

Abigail smiled to herself. This would be a cinch. Quickly she opened up CometBird and went to Google. Then she stopped for a moment, thinking. Then she typed "rose poems" into the search box and pressed Enter. Then she clicked on the first result, which led to the website Poem Hunter. After reading a few poems, she suddenly felt struck with inspiration. Her cobalt orbs gleamed, and she minimized the Web page and opened LibreOffice Writer. Then, as the font size was 20, she put her name and date at the right of the paper, and began typing. Soon her poem was finished, and she printed it out.

It read,

"_The rose is such a thing of beauty._

_There is no other flower that can compare._

_I see a red rose,_

_and I know that the thing called love is always there."_

Then she placed it on Mr. Simpson's desk. "Thanks, Abigail," he said.

She smiled. "You're welcome."

Fifteen minutes later, the bell rang for a ten-minute break. Abigail took that opportunity to go to her locker and get her books for second period. But after she got her books and closed her locker, a hand slammed against the locker above her head.

"Slam," snapped its owner, the bad boy of Degrassi, Jay Hogart.

"What?" Abigail queried as she turned around and looked at him, narrowing her blue orbs and locking them with his.

His response was to take her by the shoulders and push her back into the locker. Luckily she managed to hold onto her stuff.

"I said _slam!_ Now pay attention next time," he hissed, hoping that Abigail would try to struggle out of his grip.

However, after she put her books down on the floor by her feet, a look of half confusion and half pain crossed his face when he saw Abigail narrow her eyes a little bit more, felt her grip his own shoulders – almost hard enough to hurt – and heard her hiss,

"I said _go into battle_. Now pay attention next time, _warrior prince_!"

Feeling satisfied, Abigail relinquished her grip on his shoulders, pushed him back a little, shot him a smirk of her own that mockingly told him she had won this round, gathered her things, and, feeling the shocked stares of the others at her back, headed off to class just as the bell for second period rang.

Second period was English with Mrs. Kwan. It was Abigail's favorite class, partly because Rick was in it, and partly because she loved to write. But she knew that as soon as she came into the room, there would be the whispers, snickers and the barrage of hate notes she would receive. Usually they would be a small pile. No matter what size they were or how many there were, Abigail would read them in private, and then crumple them into a ball and toss them into the recycling.

Jimmy Brooks, who was in English with her and Rick, had seen her do that in English class, and, being a basketball player, he was very impressed. He then secretly confided to Rick (as they had become friends after he realized the bullying of Rick had gone too far, and then apologized to Rick for picking on him so much),

"I've seen her toss those hate notes into the garbage very quickly. Whenever she gets them, it's the same thing: she reads them, crumples them into a ball and throws them into the garbage. And get this – she sinks them like they're basketballs, and very perfectly too.

"I'm impressed."

"And," Rick replied, "you've been talking to her, huh?"

Jimmy nodded. "Of course I have, but as a friend, though. I have my eye on Hazel Aden as a girlfriend."

He smiled his trademark Jimmy Brooks smile.

Rick grinned back. "That's cool."

Sitting there in the front row next to Rick in second period, Abigail bit her lower lip as she reached up and touched her crucifix. Ever since the day she had made friends with Rick, her peers (except Jimmy, Toby and Emma) felt nothing but anger and resentment towards her. Many rumors spread.

"_Abigail is hanging out with Rick just so she will pick on him herself."_

"_Ooh, I bet she's secretly a Satanist and worships false gods."_

"_I've heard that she's really a practicing witch, that Abigail is!"_

Paige Michalchuk, who also apologized to Rick for picking on him one day, from that point on made it a point to tell her that she looked great – like a model, even. She would glare at the students who laughed at Abigail and Rick, her glare telling them,

"You behave yourselves".

Abigail tried her best not to laugh at the scared looks on the students' faces whenever they caught sight of that glare.

Paige would also often tell Abigail,

"Don't listen to them, Abby. They're just jealous of you, especially my ex-boyfriend, Spinner. He's a bully, and I think he will never change.

"And the rumors," she added, "especially about you being a Satanist and a ‛practicing witch', are really sickening. They're just really childish."

The previous Friday, something happened – something they never thought possible. Spinner, as Jay and Alex walked up to him, an idea for a prank to pull on "the losers" (as they had started calling Paige, Abigail and Rick) having come to them, just lost it. His eyes were filled with rage, and Rick and Paige, seeing this, gently pulled Abigail behind a corner to safety.

"Uh, Spinner?" asked Alex, seeing the mad look on Spinner's face, "are you-?"

That was all she was able to say before it happened.

Spinner lifted his hand and slapped Alex across her face. Jay saw this and grabbed Spinner's shoulders, as a crowd began to form around them.

"How could you, Spinner?" he hissed, angry. "Attacking my girlfriend?"

Instead of answering Spinner just narrowed his eyes, lifted his other hand and slapped Jay across the face. Soon the two boys went at it in the hallway. Jay tackled Spinner and knocked him down. Spinner scratched his nails across Jay's cheeks. Jay, in retaliation, pulled at Spinner's hair.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" the students chanted. Ignoring the slapping she had gotten, Alex then joined in.

Soon Mr. Simpson was yelling, "Break it up! Break it up!"

Mrs. Hatzilakos was pulling Jay away from Spinner. For someone who was such a bombshell, she sure knew how to stop a fight from getting out of control. Then Alex, Spinner and Jay were told to go to Mr. Raditch's office as the crowd dispersed.

After school, Abigail, Rick and Paige went to Mr. Raditch's office.

"Excuse me, Mr. Raditch?" asked Abigail as she, Rick and Paige walked in. Mr. Raditch turned around in his chair and smiled at the three students.

"Ms. Watson, Mr. Murray, Ms. Michalchuk," he said. "What is it you wanted to see me about?"

"Well, it's the fight we saw in the hallway today," Abigail began.

"We were watching from behind a corner," Rick added, "as we didn't want to get involved."

Paige nodded. "And we want to know exactly what happened to Spinner, Jay and Alex."

Mr. Raditch was puzzled. "Really?"

Paige, Rick and Abigail nodded simultaneously. Seeing that they were serious, Mr. Raditch took a deep breath.

"Well, since you want to know, I'll tell you," he began. "Spinner, Jay and Alex were suspended for 5 days."

Just that morning, J.T. Yorke, grinning like the Joker in the 1989 film "Batman", had tried to give her a punch in the upper arm. However, with rattlesnake speed, Abigail reached over and wrapped her right hand around his left wrist. His eyes bugged out in confusion and puzzlement, while it was Abigail's turn to grin. Then her expression turned serious.

"Don't you ever punch a woman like that, Timber Wolf," she snapped, managing to keep her temper under control. "Your father wouldn't exactly be proud of you."

J.T. noticed the mad look in her eyes, and knew this was very serious. Jokes he could handle, but this seriousness stuff was really tough – especially for a guy like him. And she had mentioned his father who, he remembered, had abandoned him, and his mother, he knew, then left him with his grandmother. Sometimes he wondered what his grandfather must've been like as a kid, and he knew it was hard to imagine his grandmother as a teenager. He could hardly see her when she was young, her eyes sparkling with life and laughter.

"OK, OK," he said, his eyes widening in shock – an all-time first for him. "I get the point already."

"Good." She then relinquished her grasp on his wrist, and he almost tripped over the threshold. She shook her head, smiling to herself, as Rick then walked up to her and offered her his arm, and she took it.

"Hey, Rick," she smiled. "How's it going?"

"Not too bad," he said as they headed inside. She noticed he was in a good mood. However, he noticed that something must've happened, so he asked her all about it. When she told him what had transpired between her and J.T., he simply grinned and told her,

"You did a great job telling him off like that. I like a strong woman such as yourself, and I'm very proud of you, _Cara Mia_."

"Thanks, Rick," she replied, "_Mon Cher_."

"You're welcome, _Cara Mia_," he smiled as she slipped her arm through his and linked their hands together. Rick looked at their joined hands and smiled.

Abigail grinned secretly to herself as she remembered. Rick apparently believed that she did the right thing using her words instead of fists.

**Well, here's where I leave it off. But don't worry; I'll pick it up at where they're in English class. In the meantime, R&R, please!**

**~Nightcrawlerlover **


End file.
